Pest Info
 Bees/Wasps
European wasp
Notoriously aggressive, the European wasps
shiny yellow and black striped abdomen is an unmistakable warning.
They construct paper nests up to several feet across that contain
combs arranged like the floors of a building covered by a papery
envelope. A European wasp nest commonly contains from several
thousand to tens of thousands of individual wasps. About 80%
of European wasp nests will occur in the ground with the remainder
usually found inside buildings. Adults consume nectar and sweets,
but feed the larvae on captured insects. When temperatures
cool in late summer, European wasp numbers peak just as their
insect food supply begins to decline. They scavenge more aggressively
at this time, taking food from rubbish containers and picnickers.
When disturbed, European wasps can sting repeatedly; their
stingers are not barbed nor lost after stinging like those
of honey bees. The greatest health risk posed by European wasps
is if stung in the mouth or back of the throat. The soft tissue
in these areas will immediately swell and may cause breathing
difficulties. For this reason, we recommend that you NEVER
drink directly from a can or bottle outdoors.
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Honey Bee
The honeybee is a 12mm long, hairy, honey
brown insect. They should not be confused with European Wasps,
which are black
and bright yellow wasps. Honeybees live in extra large colonies
of up to 50,000 individuals. Their colonies can grow this
large because they survive winter. The nest consists of several
tiers or “combs” made of beeswax. It can be located
in the cavities of trees, rock formations and buildings.
In spring, a colony may produce a “swarm.” This
occurs when a newly produced queen flies off with about half
the colony’s worker bees to establish a new colony.
These swarms often come to rest on trees and houses while
scout bees search for a good spot for a new nest.
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Paper Wasps
Paper wasps are perhaps the most common
wasps around structures. They are also known as “umbrella wasps” because
their nests look like umbrellas hanging upside-down from
eaves and overhangs. There are many species, but the typical
paper wasp is up to 18mm long, reddish brown in colour with
a long, cylindrical abdomen. A paper wasp nest is a single
comb of hexagonal cells made of a papery material the wasps
form by chewing wood and mixing it with saliva. Larger nests
can harbour up to 75 paper wasps including larvae and pupae
developing within the cells. To feed the larvae, paper wasps
capture insects, especially spiders & caterpillars. Late
in the year, colonies of paper wasps produce new queens that
abandon the nest (it will not be reused) and seek shelter
for winter. Once spring comes the cycle will start again.
Wasps have a painful sting and will attack any person approaching
or disturbing nest. Nests likely to be disturbed represent
a hazard.
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